Optical subthreshold current method (OSCM) is proposed for characterizing the interface states in MOS systems using the current-voltage characteristics under a photonic excitation. An optical source with a subbandgap ( ph ) photonic energy ( ph = 0 943 eV, opt = +5 dBm), which is less than the silicon bandgap ( = 1 12 eV), is employed for the optical subthreshold current characterization of interface states in the photoresponsive energy band. We applied the OSCM method under a subbandgap photonic excitation to MOS systems with a poly-Si gate and verified a U-shaped distribution of interface trap density it = 10 10 10 12 eV 1 cm 2 for n-and p-type MOSFETs with = 30 m 1 2 m.